Records link pizza guy to Nov. 8 robbery

A person dressed as a pizza delivery person may have been among the perpetrators of a home invasion/robbery in south Moorhead Nov. 8 that briefly caused a lockdown at Minnesota State University Moorhead, court records show.

Police said Thursday one person has been arrested in the case, one suspect is being sought and others may ultimately be arrested.

According to documents filed in Clay County District Court:

Four people showed up at the door of an apartment at 908 8th St. S. in Moorhead.

A resident looked through the peephole and saw someone dressed as a pizza delivery person.

As the resident opened the door, three people wearing ski masks forced their way in.

One was armed with a shotgun, another with a handgun and the third with a knife.

The intruders forced the resident and a roommate to the ground and demanded cash and “weed.”

The residents said they didn’t have cash or drugs and after searching the apartment the three masked intruders left.

At that point, the apparent pizza delivery person stated he was getting out and ran from the apartment.

Police later located a uniform from a well-known pizza company, a ball cap and a pizza carrier abandoned about a block from the apartment building.

Investigators viewed video from a Kmart store taken about two hours before the robbery that showed a group of four men entering the store together.

Two of the men purchased ski masks and a third purchased a black hooded sweatshirt. The fourth man seen in the video resembled the description of the pizza delivery person provided by the victims.

The two men who bought masks were identified as John Jose Kukert Jr., 21, 2526 15th St. S., Fargo, and Joshua Charles Lowe, 30, 911 3rd Ave. N., Fargo.

Police said the other two men seen in the store video have not been identified, but police said the investigation is continuing.

Lowe has been arrested and is in the Cass County Jail awaiting extradition to Clay County on charges of first-degree aggravated robbery; conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery; second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and first-degree burglary.

Police said Thursday they were looking to arrest Kukert, who is charged in Clay County District Court with the same counts as Lowe, as well as one count of aiding second-degree assault.